Veracity
by Radon65
Summary: Camille confronts Rush about his actions in "Life."


**Veracity**

Camille Wray stepped quickly down the corridor, intent on her destination. Her shoes clacked sharply on the metal floor and she brushed a stray hair out of her face. She'd tried to calm herself down, she'd thought she could control herself better, but she needed to let out her emotions. Maybe this wasn't the brightest idea, and maybe she should have checked with Colonel Young first, but she needed this. And so she was headed for the one room on the _Destiny_ that most people who didn't have to go there avoided like the plague. The control room.

Rush was there as usual, and he glanced up from his work as she swung into the room. It was obvious she was angry, and she could tell from his eyes and the way he leaned away from her that Rush was less than thrilled at her entrance. He looked as if he might say something, but decided it wasn't worth it. Camille knew it wasn't.

"You lied to us," she said sharply. Rush rolled his eyes and sighed as if he'd expected little else from a Philistine. Camille took another step forward. "All of these people were happy. _I_ was happy. I was going to get home. We all thought we could get home _in a year_ because of you."

"And it would have stayed that way if Young hadn't managed to let everyone on the ship know!" Rush snapped back. "Of course, _you_ were the catalyst there, weren't you?"

"People deserve to know the truth!"

"I don't have time for this." Rush turned back to the console and reached for the controls. Camille couldn't stand it. She was at his side in a matter of moments, reaching a hand over to cover the screen. Even in her fury, however, she couldn't quite bring herself to touch _him_. There was just something... wrong about it. Rush slammed his hands against the sides of the console in irritation, but he didn't touch her, either. He simply glared. "So what do you want?" he demanded. "An apology?" Camille nodded, looking at him incredulously.

"Would be nice, yeah!"

"All right!" Rush let go of the console and turned to fully face her. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for trying to get people to do something productive on this ship instead of just sitting around waiting to die! I'm sorry for making people interested in life for the first time in a month! I'm sorry for trying to do something that will get you people home!" Rush tore off his glasses and pressed his fingers against his eyelids, bringing them in after a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose. Camille paused, her anger still simmering, but slightly restrained by his list of motives.

"And you think that that's worth lying to everyone on this ship?" Rush sighed.

"Yes."

"And what if you never found a planet?"

"I'd have had a year!" Rush insisted. "In the meantime, moral would have gone up, people would have been willing to help, and any number of improvements and discoveries could have been made!"

"Based on a lie!"

"I believe we've already been through that," Rush stated, putting his glasses back on. "It was a lie, yes, but one that could have helped the situation aboard this ship immensely." Camille moved her hand away from the console, wiping away the moisture on her cheeks that hadn't been there a moment ago. Rush only briefly bothered to look at her, taking the opportunity to reclaim the console and start reading again. She didn't stop him.

"Colonel Young says you won't sit in the chair yourself." Rush closed his eyes and she didn't imagine the slight clenching of his jaw at the barb.

"It isn't wise," he said softly.

"So why are you pushing for somebody to do it?" Camille demanded. Rush sighed again, reopening his eyes to look at her.

"I meant it isn't wise for me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The device may be safe, there's a good chance it is, but I can't be sure of that yet." Camille waited, toying with the hem of her shirt as Rush continued quietly. "If I sit in that chair, and something happens to me, where will the rest of this ship be? Even if I learn the master code and can inform someone else before I die or lose mental capacity, my loss will still severely hamper the chances of the people on this ship getting home." He looked down and smiled slightly. "However, I must admit that I would prefer not to die. That does rather factor into my reluctance. And maybe it shouldn't."

"Nobody wants to die," Camille defended, not quite sure who she was defending.

"Few people," Rush allowed.

"And you're right," Camille agreed. "It shouldn't. But it will." Rush nodded.

"Did you get it out of your system?" Camille felt the prick of anger returning at his manner, like that of a teacher speaking to a child. Seeing that she'd wanted an emotional outlet and unashamedly letting her know that he saw. Like he'd been humoring her the whole time or something. But she didn't think that had been all of it. And she could live with that. She sighed.

"Yeah."

She turned away from the console and left Rush to his work.

ooo00ooo

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